HMS Beagle

HMS Beagle was a British Royal Navy ship famous for the two journeys she made with Charles Darwin aboard.

On May 11, 1820, HMS Beagle was launched as a brig from the Woolwich Dockyards on the River Thames. She was converted to a barque in preparation for survey work

First Voyage

On May 22, 1826, HMS Beagle set sail for her first voyage, a survey mission of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. She was under the command of Captain Pringle Stokes and also on board was Lieutenant Robert FitzRoy.

While surveying Tierra del Fuego, Captain Pringle Stokes shot himself and died 11 days later. Robert FitzRoy was put in temporary command of the Beagle and captained her on her next two voyages of survey and discovery.

See also

• Beagle 2 - Mars space probe named after HMS Beagle, due to land December 25 2003

• UK topics